BBC Radio host forced to cut off Brandon Lewis in intense coronavirus interview

BBC Radio host Mishal Husain was forced to cut off Brandon Lewis during an intense interview in which the Northern Ireland Secretary responded to criticism against the Government's approach to the coronavirus pandemic.

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The Cabinet Minister was cut off from a BBC Radio 4's Today interview as he was defending the Government's approach to the coronavirus pandemic after receiving stark criticism by Nobel Prize winner Sir Paul Nurse. But as his phone line kept dropping out, BBC host Mishal Husain was forced to cut the interview short. She said: 'Your sound is dropping in and out, it's got to the point where we can't hear enough of you."

BBC Radio cut off Brandon Lewis as he defended the Government's lockdown strategy (Image: SKY NEWS)

Brandon Lewis had to be dropped after his line repeatedly cut off (Image: SKY NEWS)

And another: “Why don't BBC sack all presenters and just say here is the microphone, tell us your story?

“It would achieve much the same result and save a packet.”

Before being cut off Mr Lewis said the Government has followed "the best advice that is out there" in its handling of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Responding to criticism from Francis Crick Institute chief executive Sir Paul Nurse that it was unclear who was in charge, Mr Lewis told BBC Radio 4: "I just wouldn't agree with that.

The next phase of easing the coronavirus lockdown is expected to commence on June 1 (Image: EXPRESS.CO.UK)

"I think what we have seen through this actually is we as a Government have been very clear with people, very transparent with people.

"The Prime Minister himself has been very clear - the Prime Minister ultimately is responsible.

"We do follow the best advice that is out there from both the scientific advisers, our chief medical advisers and the teams there but ultimately it is the ministers who make decisions.

"And I think that is one of the things we have seen throughout this process, is our working to ensure we get as much information to people as we can to ensure that people understand what we can all do to play our part in keeping the R-level down."